Ventilator for preventing entry of wind and rain



VENTILATOR FOR PREVENTING ENTRY OF WIND AND RAIN J. V. EURICH July 23, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.

J. v. EURICH 3,393,627

VENTILATOR FOR PREVENTING ENTRY OF WIND AND RAIN July 23, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3' Filed Jan. 13, 1966 United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ventilator or ventilating material, includes a first plate-like member having defined therein a regular pattern of apertures. Means defining a plurality of recesses, wherein each aperture is joined to one end of a recess associated exclusively with that aperture. A second platelike member also having defined therein a regular pattern of apertures is arranged in contact with the recessed surface of the first member, wherein each aperture of the second member is in communication with the other end of a separate one of the recesses, and thus in communication with its associated aperture, although not in alignment with it.

I This invention relates to ventilators and to materials suitable for use as a ventilator, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved ventilator and material of relatively simple and inexpensive construction which will all-ow air to pass therethrough, but which will prevent the direct penetration of drafts or inclement weather.

The present invention consists in a ventilator or ventilating material, which includes a first plate-like member carrying a regular pattern of apertures, each aperture being joined to one end of a recess associated exclusively with that aperture, and a second plate-like member also carrying a regular pattern of apertures arranged in contact with the recessed surface of the first member, wherein each aperture of the second member is in communication with the other end of a separate one of the recesses, and thus in communication with its associated aperture, although not in alignment therewith.

The invention further consists in a ventilator or material, as set forth in the preceding paragraph, wherein the recesses are provided by apertures arranged in a regular pattern in a third plate-like member secured to the first member with each aperture of the first member being positioned at one end of and surrounded by one aperture in the third member.

The invention still further consists in a ventilator or material as set forth in the preceding paragraph but one, wherein the recesses are formed integrally in the first member.

The invention still further consists in a ventilator as set forth in any one of the preceding three paragraphs, wherein the first and second members are slidable relatively to each other between an open position in which each aperture of the second member is in communication with one aperture of the first member, and a closed position in which each of the apertures in the second member is displaced from the recesses of the first member and is shut off by the first member.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a general view of a vertical section taken through a piece of ventilating material according to the present invention, portions of the material being cut away to reveal its construction, and

FIGURE 2 is a general view of a vertical section taken through a ventilator according to the present invention, portions being cut away to reveal its construction.

In carrying the invention into eifect according to one convenient mode by way of example, FIGURE 1 shows a ventilating material which includes a first plate-like member 11 and a second plate-like member 12, between which is sandwiched a third plate-like member 13.

The first member 11 is provided with a regular pattern of apertures 14 and the second member 12 is provided with apertures 15 of the same size and in the same pattern. However, the apertures 15 are not in horizontal alignment with the apertures 14 but are relatively displaced in a vertical direction so that each aperture 14 or 15 is horizontally aligned between two apertures 15 or 14 of the other member.

The third member 13 is provided with apertures 16 arranged in the same pattern but of larger size so that each aperture 16 forms a recess which at its upper end is in communication with one aperture 15 and its lower end with one aperture 14. In this way, each aperture 14 is connected to a separate aperture 15 but is isolated from all other apertures 14 and 15.

Hence, air may pass freely through the composite material consisting of the three layers 11, 12 and 13, but direct penetration through the material of drafts, rain, or dust is prevented due to the tortuous path presented by each recess and its two associated apertures. If desired, the dimension of the apertures in the vertical direction and their vertical spacing in relation to their horizontal spacing by the thickness of the member 13 may be ad justed so that no straight line path through the material is possible, although even if this is possible, the material will still be effective against direct penetration from most sources.

Where the material will have one face exposed to the weather, this should be the surface of the member 11, i.e. that member whose apertures 14 are at the bottom of the recesses 16. In this way, drainage to the outside is achieved.

It will be readily appreciated that the manufacture of the material described above is extremely simple and inexpensive, requiring only the perforation of three sheets of material and their subsequent securing together. A Wide range of materials may be used for the three sheets.

FIGURE 2 of the accompanying drawings shows a modified construction for a ventilator which may be adjusted between an open position in which it functions in a manner similar to that of the material of FIGURE 1, and a closed position in which air flow through the ventilator is prevented.

The ventilator is constructed from two plate-like members 21 and 22.

The first member 21 is molded from plastic and carries a regular pattern of rectangular apertures 23 each joined to the top of an adjacent recess 24 formed in the surface of the member 21 and extending downwardly from the member 21 towards the aperture 23 below but divided therefrom so that a separate recess is provided for each aperture 23.

Between each horizontally adjacent pair of apertures 23 and recesses 24 there is provided an auxiliary blind recess 25, but its purpose is merely to reduce the weight and cost of the member 21 and it serves no function in the operation of the ventilator. It will be noted, however, that each auxiliary recess 25 is isolated from the other recesses 24 and auxiliary blind recesses 25 by portions 26 and 27 of the member 21 defining the recesses.

Each end of the member 21 is provided with a hooked configuration, as at 28, so that adjacent ventilators may be joined together and their members 21 interlocked for movement in unison.

The second plate like member 29 is in the form of a flat plate having rectangular apertures 30 arranged in the same pattern as the apertures 23 in members 21. The upper and lower margins of the member 29 are bent into the form of channels or clips 31 which embrace the upper and lower margins of member 21 but permit the member 21 to be slid horizontally in the member 29 between open and closed positions by moving a handle (not shown) secured to the member 21, with the handle having an extension 32 passing through the member 21 and entering a guide slot 33 in the member 29 to limit movement of the member 21 between the open and closed positions. Alternatively, but not shown, the member 29 may be formed by extrusion to give the desired cross-section including channel or clip portions.

When moved to the open position, as shown in FIG- URE 2, each aperture 30 in the second member 29 is brought into alignment with the lower end of the recess 24 in the first member 21, and thus in communication with the aperture 23 at the top end of that recess 24, thereby permitting air flow through the ventilator, but preventing drafts or the ingress of moisture, and at the same time preventing light from shining directly through the ventilator.

When the handle is moved to the right hand side, as shown in the drawing, to the closed position, each aperture 30 in the second member 2 is brought into communication with a separate one of the auxiliary recesses 25 and thus air flow through the ventilator is prevented.

Drainage holes 34 are provided in the member 29 to drain away any moisture that may seep down between the member 29 and member 21.

In an alternative form of the present invention (not shown), a ventilating material may consist of two identical plates, each having a regular pattern of apertures of which each aperture is associated with a recess formed in one surface of the plate. The ventilating material is then constructed by securing together the two plates with their recessed surfaces in contact with each other with the recesses in alignment but with the apertures reversed so that each pair of recesses is combined to form a single large recess in communication with an aperture of one plate at one end of the recess and an aperture of the other plate at the other end of the recess. This configuration has the advantage of simplifying the manufacture of the plates and assembly of the material.

I claim:

1. A ventilating material which consists of first, second and third sheets of material secured together, each of said sheets having opposed plane surfaces interrupted only by apertures extending through the sheet, the surfaces defining parallel planes containing the opposite ends of each aperture, wherein said first and second sheets each have apertures arranged in a regular pattern with each aperture in one sheet being aligned in a direction at right angles to the planes of the sheets betweenapertures in the other of said sheet, and wherein saidthird sheet is interposed .between said first'and second sheets and has apertures of larger dimensions than said apertures extending through said first and'second sheets so that each aperture in said third sheet has a portion in direct alignment and communication with one aperture of said first sheet and another portion in direct alignment and communication with one aperture of said second sheet.

2. A ventilating material which consists of first and second sheets of material positioned in contact with'each other, each of said sheets having opposed plane surfaces interrupted only by apertures extending through the sheet, the surfaces defining parallel planes containing the opposite ends of each aperture, wherein the first sheet has apertures arranged in a regular pattern with theend of each aperture remote from the second sheet being of smaller dimensions than its end adjacent the second sheet, and wherein said second sheet has apertures substantially the same size as that end of each aperture in the first sheet which is remote from the second sheet, the first and second sheets being slidable relatively to each other between a closed position in which portions of the first sheet lying between adjacent apertures in the first sheet overlie each of the apertures in the second sheet and thereby cut off each of the apertures in the second sheet from communication with an aperture in the first sheet, and an open position in which each of the'apertures in the second sheet is aligned with and in communication only with a portion of the adjacent aperture in the first sheet which lies wholly within the region defined between the ends of the apertures in the first sheet remote from the second sheet.

3. A ventilating material according to claim 2, wherein the said first sheet consists of a first and second layer of material secured together and each having a regular pattern of apertures, the second layer being disposed" between the first layer and the second sheet and having apertures which are larger than the apertures in the first layer and the apertures in the second sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,797,915 3/1931 Hockstein 98-121 X 2,255,503 9/1941 Carbary 98- 101X 2,486,660 11/1949 Kurtz 98121 X 2,576,848 11/1951 Mercier 9s 101 X ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

M. A. ANTONAKAS, Assistant Examiner. 

